Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-02-12
CIRCUMSTAN!IAL EVIDENCE.
CHATTER /


During the spring of 1857, had occasion
| TO stop Tor several weeks in q small town
on the Mississippi. 1t was at date when
the fever for land speculation was at its
height. There were some dozen or fifteen
board rs at the same hotel in which l was
| stopping, most of them engaged in the
| traffic of real estate in and around that i'm
| mediate vicinity. 1t was confidently pre-
dicted that the place was soon to become
| thriving city, and it was curious study to
| the shrewd observer TO watch the maneuyers
of this class of gen'eel swindlers, as they
spread their webs and mcshes to catch the
| unwary victims. 1t was amusing to wit
uess the attention paid to every new conner
who was suspected of having money and a
predisposiIion for speculation. He was
I Instantly beset by swarm of anxious
| friends, ready TO show him advantageous
lots, and prove to him that moth
| ing but their own larry embarrass-
mems could induce them to part with them.
A fat old fellow, of aristocratic appear
| ance, with gold headed cane and double
row of chins, who occasionally changes
ten-dollar bills for his uccomplices when
any new customer is around, being very
careful Mt the same time to display a large
Eumber of cleverly executed one thousand
dollar counterfeits, is pointed out as a
mammoth Spectator, who is ready to buy
up everything, but never willing, i'll fact,
to sell anything, un ess he can double or
treble his money. Their asking price to
the new omcr is always the standing offer
they have received from him, but they have
entered into combination and are deter
mined not to sell to him, unless he will pay
them double what they would link of ask
in any one el-e. Certain lots belonging
TO Old Hunks and always adjoining their
own are then pointed ont to them, and they
are advised before closing the bargain to
apply TO Old Hunks himself, and satisfy
themselves of the truth of the assertion.
OF course the arstocratic old gentleman
never thinks of selling for less than double
the price affixed to some adjoining lot
equally available; assures them that he is
not at all anxious TO sell; that tho place is
destined to become a city, and that before
the expiration of twelve months those very
lois will advance five hundred per cent,
and then only keep pace with the prospect
i've growth Of the place. He always wears
white neck-tie, talks wisely about the
future growth of the city, as though it were
already on established fact-already incor-
porated, board of officers appointed, and
himself mayor-sees the star very distinctly,
where only the most sanguine have dis
covered the abula; and finally succeeds
i'll etfectu lily ear hing the game for the ac-
complished rascal who has first started it.
Such was the exact state of speculative
affairs in the little town OF Greenboro at
the date OF nv arrival. AS to the town it,
self, it occupied very pleasant sight over
looking the river, and contained, indie
pendently of the hotel at which we were
stopping, some eight or ten frame houses,
and lew temporary shanties which were
To II haft h.,
erected for those who had been swindled
into the purchase of lots for actual settle
ment.
had been in Greenboro about a week,
when a gentleman named Nixon booked
himself for few days at the Irving House.
Judging from his appearance, he was a
man W. Ito do in the world, and not far
from sixty years of age. 1t was soon noiSed
about that he was in possession of mint
of money, so that he natura ly became an
object OF great interest to those disinter-
ested gentlemen who had previously COM
bined against the old gentleman who talked
SO sanguinely about the city of Greenbo O,
and was now trying to buy up and monop.
olze ry thing. But Mr.. Nixon did not
seem TO care much about entering into land
Bpeculatons.
He declared himself q private gentleman
world from which it was naturally inferred
that he had more money than he well
knew what 10 do with)-saying that for the
last few years he had been much addicted
TO travel, and sometimes sketched for his
own individual amusement.
Stop ng at the hotel, at the same time,
was young man named Warner, who had
previously been duped into the purchase of
one of the city lots, in the vain hope OF
selling it in few days at an advanced
price. The venture had taken nearly every
dollar he was worth, and being subsequent
ly Frustrated with the spring fever, he
had found himself on recovery in such
straitened circumstances that the sale
of his lot had become absolutely necessary
in order TO pay his hotel expenses and
get back to his friends in New York;
bat the genteel sharpers, who were in
league with the landlord, could not think
OF paying back more than twenty five
cents on dollar, which YVES barely suf1i-
Gent to cancel the charges which Mr.. Grit
fifth had led against him; and the SAN
guine old gentleman who was always look
ing at the future city, had suddenly become
crn pied by the failure Of some imaginary
mixing house, of colossal magnitude, by
VIII ch lie had lost half million; and
poor Warner could not but admire the
manly IOilltuue with winch he bore up
under II is overwhelming misfortune.
1t only required little resolution and
nerve TO get over these things" sad the
sanguine old gentleman, blaudly; life is
but span, and the man, when he steps
out of this mundane sphere, can take his
carpet bag along with him."
Alas" cried the Young man, Il don't
know what | shall do" And though he
struggled hard TO keep them down, l
could see the tears crowding into his eyes
His emotions seemed. very strangely, 10
have awakened some latent D ty in the
placid bosom of the sanguine old gentle
man, for, after gazing at the victim for a
moment, he said hastily, and cot without
feeling:
TRY Nixon; they have all tried him. He
don't want the land more than cat wants
water, but he might be induced TO take
yours out of pity. am deeply sorry for
his 1ntoward event, which prevents me,
just now, from doing it myself. Nothing
would suit me better than 10 do it, | assure
you."
II will try him." said the young man,
suddenly frightening up. "Where is he?"
81 saw him going toward the bluffs with
his sketch book" sud Griffith, rising up
from his seat behind the bar and bending
his cold, CLASSY eyes in that direction.
"Since dinner l saw him."
few minutes after we saw Warner walk
ing hastily Off in the direction indicated.
He was absent as near as | could Judge,
about an hour.